If a student is enrolled in an online degree-program from a South Dakota-based institution that is approved to operate under the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), the following complaint process can be used to submit a student complaint:

To start the process a student submits a complaint to the institution and exhausts all options of the institutional complaint process.

If the student finds the institutional results unsatisfactory, the student submits a complaint with the necessary documentation to SDBOR. If the institutional complaint process is exhausted, the SARA Administrator will review the complaint.

If the institutional complaint process is not exhausted, the complaint is referred to the student’s institution with the student’s permission.

If permission is not given, the complaint is considered withdrawn and the student restarts the process.

If the complaint is justified, the SARA administrator may refer to an appropriate enforcing body OR request that the institution provide information regarding the complaint.

The Institution then files a response with SARA Administrator within sixty days.

A SARA Administrator may attempt to arrange an informal resolution to the complaint. If acceptable to the institution and the complainant, the matter is resolved.

If an informal resolution cannot be reached within 30 calendar days, the SARA administrator shall issue a final, binding, resolution to the parties no later than 15 days after the time allowed for informal resolution has lapsed.

Students can appeal the final decision of the SARA Administrator to the Board of Regents within 30 calendar days, at which time it will be referred to the Office of Hearing Examiners for hearing and for recommended findings of fact, conclusions of law, and disposition.

The Board of Regent’s receipt, review, and action on Office of Hearing Examiners recommended findings of fact, conclusions of law, and disposition.